Thanks to a philandering father, ad exec Emily Rodgers knows happily ever after doesn’t exist. Relying on a man only leads to heartache. She takes care of herself, and work defines her life. But Emily soon finds herself in the hands of a real-life prince who defines the words charming and sexy. Not to mention reckless. If Prince Lucas doesn’t find a royal bride, Emily’s dream of being named a partner at the advertising firm will die.

Luc’s fun-loving ways have made him a magnet for scandal. His father gives Luc an ultimatum—find a wife on a reality TV show or be disowned. Rules require him to marry nobility, but after he meets the uptight American sent to find him find a princess bride, his search for Cinderella might be over. Too bad Emily wants nothing to do with him. Perhaps he can show her that fairytale endings can happen in real life…

*I received an ARC of this story from Tule Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review*

There is something extremely intriguing about a man who willingly lets the world think the worst of him despite doing good things when no one is watching. The best fictional characters are born out of deep personal struggles and there is no greater struggle for a man than doing what he must to protect what and who he loves and to get what he needs for the people who depend on him. This is the dilemma Prince Luc faces in The Cinderella Princess by Melissa McClone.

Both Luc and Emily are the kind of characters that stay with a reader long after the book ends. Readers root for them because of who they are and how they are portrayed within the story. There is a real depth to them, an emotional honesty that will have readers caring about their story outcome from their first meeting, and what a meeting it was!

Melissa McClone’s seemingly easy writing style immediately draws readers in and allows them to believe in the world she created,no matter how far it may differ from the lives they lead themselves. Once I began Luc and Emily’s story, and especially after Luc’s surprising introduction to Emily and to readers, it quickly became apparent the author truly understands the characters she is presenting to readers. She isn’t just telling a story, the way some authors I’ve read over the years do, but she is taking readers along on her characters’ journey with them, allowing readers to care about her characters as people and root for them to overcome their problems and find their happiness. That’s the mark of a really great author, and one of my favorite kind of authors–and stories–to read.

I absolutely loved this story. I was hooked right away, not only by Emily’s strong personality, but also by the story events and by Prince Luc. Though he makes one eyebrow raising decision late in the story, Luc is everything a romance hero should be and from the first scene to the last, Emily proves she is the perfect woman to both challenge and complete him. I seriously loved them both.

If you want a story chalk full of humor, heart, and depth of character, I highly recommend reading this book. It’s an excellent read, and the perfect story length to read in one sitting.

FTC Disclaimer

All review books have been provided by the publisher or author for free, via NetGalley or Edelweiss for free, or were purchased by Deanna Lynn via a brick and mortar store or through Amazon.com. We are not compensated for the reviews we post, so every review given is a fair and honest opinion about the work we read.